The Fresh Loaf

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baking trays for rational combi oven

mutantspace's picture
mutantspace

baking trays for rational combi oven

have a question.

does anyone have any idea if there are baking trays that can be bought for a combi oven that will deliver good spring for bread. I have free use of a 6 rack rational combi. However the trays the kitchen uses do not retain heat so im loading onto cold trays. ive tried heating them up, taking them out, loading on bread and baking but no dice. 

What metals are good? I dont think stone is an option? perhaps it is but id need something relatively lightweight.  

julie99nl's picture
julie99nl

Someone may give you an absolute answer, which I can not, but worth mentioning is Mark Sinclairs Bakery truck whom I believe is using a similar combi to output an incredible quality and quantity of product.

From his videos, it looks like standard gastro-norm sheet pans.

mutantspace's picture
mutantspace

im in love with his truck - some kit out...maybe someday...i must have a closer look. I know you can get rational trays especially for the job but theyre very expensive and way beyond what i can pay...i share the kitchen (day time staff do their thing i have it at night) so stones arent really an option as im afraid they might get broken during the day otherwise id get some....other problem in tray size  - for he combi oven....it makes love ly bread but i just cant get the spring as i have done in a deck oven or even in my iron pot at home...

 

just had another look at marks truck - youre right....no stone...hmmm...my bread does rise but just differently....perhaps i need a different type of metal sheet? having said that his go in cold....

julie99nl's picture
julie99nl

I just noticed you're in Ireland. Does the rational you're using take a standard 60x40 sheet pan or a 60X80? That's what I've used here in the netherlands in a rational but not normally for any breads other than enriched viennoiserie and patisserie.

I would indeed be afraid stones would suffer being moved and knocked about during the day. Maybe send a message to him directly on facebook? I contacted him a few weeks ago and he responded.

mutantspace's picture
mutantspace

They’re standard sheets - but good idea I’ll email him tomorrow - I’ll also try leaving 3 pans in oven and then loading cold pans on top - steel transfers heat very quickly so it might work if I can do it quickly...having said all that people love the bread and it sells out every week so...I love rational for pastries - fantastic - it is s wonderful piece of equipment but just can’t do what a deck oven can - I can’t complain I had use of beautiful deck oven with steam injection but it was €15/hour and this is free so worth it I think 

mutantspace's picture
mutantspace

just read back on some of your posts and saw that you studied patisserie...so if i could get some advice. I make kouign amanns every week for the market and a few places around Cork City....everyone loves them and the Bretons who live here get to eat a bit of home however im always looking to make them better. I make my croissant dough on evening 1, roll out day 2 and bake day 3.

when rolling out I make 3 turns;  1 x book fold and (2 x 4) 2 x letter fold (2 x 1 x 3) . I noticed you only do 1 x book and 1 x letter fold. Should i reduce the amount of turns im doing?  

any advice is good

thanks

julie99nl's picture
julie99nl

I believe it's very very personal. I was taught by a french chef that has competed at the coupe du monde (patisserie and boulangerie) and that was his preferred set of turns for a nice volume.  Less turns means bigger honeycomb holes. Granted, he's always using a sheeter. I do a 1X3+1X4 if I'm laminating by hand because it seems a little more forgiving. If I'm using a sheeter and feel the dough is nicely extensible and elastic I'll do 3 turns because it might give the baked product a better structure to carry jam.. More turns takes more skill! If you're doing those turns by hand (or sheeter) successfully, keep on doing it!

You could add a different spin by adding fruit and/or spices. In the book Viennoiseries & Brioches by Laurent Duchêne, he makes them by topping with cinnamon and apple after the folds and then rolling and slicing. Romain Dufour and the French Pastry School of Chicago recently posted the most amazing looking Kouign Amann on instagram that looked like roses.

mutantspace's picture
mutantspace

thanks for that - my only problem is heat at the moment but 3 turns by hand is fine at the moment. I make a 10:1 sugar to salt mixture and sprinkle that on dough after final roll out...gently roll it in on both sides then cut and proof. I love salt/sugar confections...ill have a look at dufiours instagram pictures. Im anly a beginner so really appreciate the advice. I might start adding fruit...i love the idea of seasonality as i fill brioche buns with lemon curd and raspberries and make rhubarb curd too which is nice with brioche...celebrating summer fruits with pastry is yum !